Rewind to 1987: ‘Bad’ Tour Began

Today we are throwing it back to 1987. Michael Jackson kicked off his highly anticipated first solo tour on September 12 in Japan. The tour would take him around the world and back over the next year and a half, performing 123 shows. It grossed a total of $125 million, which was the second-highest tour of the ’80s behind Pink Floyd.

The Bad tour was also significant because it would be the only time Jackson would tour the U.S. as a solo artist – except for a couple shows in Hawaii on the HIStory tour.

Jackson had two sets of shows in the U.S on the Bad tour – the first in early 1988 and then again from September ’88 to January ’89.

Some other fun facts:

• The tour was sponsored by Pepsi, and Jackson and his entourage could not be seen drinking rival Coca-Cola.
• Seigfried and Roy were brought in to help with some illusions on stage.
• Princess Diana and Prince Charles attended the show at Wembley Stadium in London on July 16, 1988.
• During the tour, Jackson purchased the land where his Neverland Ranch would be built.
• Jackson made statements at the end of the tour that it would be his final one – however, he did follow up with Dangerous and HIStory.

A peek at the setlist for the American dates included these songs:

• “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'”
• “Heartbreak Hotel”
• “Another Part of Me”
• “Human Nature”
• “Smooth Criminal”
• “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”
• “She’s Out of My Life”
• “Jackson 5 Medley”: “I Want You Back” / “The Love You Save” / “I’ll Be There”
• “Rock with You”
• “Dirty Diana”
• “Thriller”
• “Working Day and Night”
• “Beat It”
• “Billie Jean”
• “Bad”
• “The Way You Make Me Feel”
• “Man in the Mirror”

Bad was Jackson’s third solo studio album.